Minimo; Firefox like browser for your mobile

Mozilla Foundation is planning to release a version of Minimo (Mini-Mozilla browser for portable devices) for mobile phones. Due out in January of 2005, the 0.3 version of Minimo is already in use by two mobile phone companies, however they cannot release their names due to an embargo.

“The focus over the last year and a half has been about going after the phone device and set-top manufacturers — showing them what we can do,” said Turner. “We are being used, but companies have kept it quiet.”

Mozilla Firefox has been taking over the share of Internet Explorer users very quickly, Minimo on the other hand, will be much harder to bring to market since manufacturers make the choice as to which browser to use, rather than consumers.

Minimo 0.1 and 0.2 resolve the issue of displaying web pages on small devices, and is currently only supported for the ARM architecture, an Intel version will follow soon. If a web page will load correctly in Firefox, it will load the same in Minimo 0.3. New features like web site zooming will be added by around June 2005, while others such as navigating past links using arrow keys, rather than tabbing one by one and auto web address completion will be available in January.